Air cleaner



Oct. 22, 1935. R. R. LAY-rE AIR CLEANER Filed oct. 5, '1930 Y BW Patented Oct. 22, v193/5 AmcLEANEa nalpn a. Lam, shan mus, n.1.. signin t Motor Improvements, Inc., Newark, NJ., a cor-l poration of Delaware Application October 3, 1930,' Serial No. 486,139A

12 claims. (o1. iss- 75) a This invention relates to air cleaners and has for an object a simple, inexpensive and efficient device for separating water, oil, dirt and other foreign matter from a stream of air. A A device embodying the invention comprises a helix formed from a at metal ribbon of minute thickness and which is relatively wide in comparison to its thickness, the ribbon being preformed so that it naturally lies in helical form with its flat faces normal to the axis of the helix, the adjacent turns being slightly spaced to form minute aperture. The helix is so supported as to provide a plurality of downwardly extending ducts for conducting air after its passage through the helix downwardly and discharging the air into a chamber having -an outlet from its upper portion and a drainage opening in itsy lower portion. The unit above described is contained within a casing to which air to be cleaned is supplied. Water in liquid form is trapped in the space between the unit and the casing and oil is retained on the outer surface of the helix,v

probably due to adhesion, while the moisture laden air passes through the interstices between dirt particles are washed out of the air by the water and fall with the droplets. 'This device eifects condensation of water vapor between the turns and the liquefied water is separated from the airby gravity. This device is highly eflicient and separates from the air substantially allthe moisture contained therein.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention .will be apparent from the followingrspecification and accompanying draw` ing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an air cleaner embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-l-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective View.

A head I 0 is provided with a screw threaded central recess in which is arranged a threaded bushing II. A substantially cylindrical drum I2 is supported by the bushing I I and is provided with vertical peripheral flutes I3. A cyl'- inder I4 surrounds and is supported by the drum I2 and forms with the ilutes conduits closed at their upper ends and open at theirflower ends. The cylinder I4 comprises a helix lformed from a metal ribbon preformed so that its turns lie with their flat faces'normal to the axis of the 5 helix and without tendency to buckle or deviate from this position. The ribbonis provided with ribs I5 which -space apart the adjacent turns to form interstices. The ribbon is of minute thickness and is of relatively large width in com- 10 parison with its thickness. Preferably, the ribbon is less than .010y inch in thickness and is approximately .050 inch or' more in width, the ribs being .001 to .003 inch in height, thus forming interstices lof minute height. Preferi6 ably the ribbon ismade of somewhat tapering cross-section in the direction radial of the cylinder with '.rhe outer edge of greater thickness than the inner ed'ge. This results in the aper-l tures being more narrow 'at the entry point of 20 the air, thereby preventing wedging or clogging of impurities -between the turns ofthe helix. The height of the transfer ribs I5 increases necessarily so that its top contacts with the opposed face of lthe adjacent turns throughout the 25 full width thereof. The apertures thus are divergingly tapered in the direction of air ow.

'I'he bottom of the drum I2 is apertured and a cap I 6 is attached thereto by screws II. 'I'hiscap extends over the side wall of the drum a short distance and' engages the bottom end of the helix I4. The cap also is provided with an apertured flange `I8 and with a central drainage opening. A cup-shapedl member I9 receives with a neck 20 closed by a plug 2| in which is threaded a drainage valve 22. 'The neck is connected to the lower end of a.. casing 23, the upper endof which fits in a recess in the head I0, the wall of the casing contacting with the pe- (0 riphery of the flange I8. A valve 24 is provided for draining the casing 23. `The head III is provided with an inlet passageway 25 which communicates with the space between the helix I4 and the wall of the casing 23. 45 It is also provided lwith an outlet passagewayZI which communicates with the interior of the drum I2. The total area of the interstices in the helix exceeds considerably the area of either the inlet or the outlet passageways so that air passes 50 through the interstices at a much lower Velocity than through the inlet and outlet passageways.

Air to be cleaned is supplied to the inlet passageway 25, is passed through `the narrow in- BrStices in the helix I4, follows the ducts formed 55 iiutes i3 into the passageway formed between the'bottom of the drum I2 and the cap I6, after which it passes upwardly through the bushing II into the outlet passageway 28. Any water present in the air in liquid form is for the most part trapped in the space between the casing and cylinder and drains through the apertures in the flange i 8 into the bottom of the casing. Oil present in the air is retained on the outer surface of the cylinder' lprobably by adhesion. `Water vapor passes into the interstices between the turns where, it is condensed due to the very thin streams into which the air is separated and to the relatively large metal surfaces to which it,y istex-l posed and -also the relatively slow velocity with which it passes through the interstiees. The condensate forms into droplets which lare oi'sufiicient upwardly through the drum and is discharged from the cleaner, Minutedust particles in the air are washed :out by the water collected in the inl terstlces between adjacent-turns andare retained by the-watenand fall `into vthe cup|9 ,with the water.,v The, water collecting-in the bottom of the `*casirig-,ZS is: dirty and oily,.whilefthat in the cup Y I 9, except forafsmall amount'of'dust; is clean l:claim:

and sparkling. Most of the water collected in the "casing 23 yis .carried tinto' the cleaner in liquid form, while the -water in the cup I8 is carried in in vapor form and is condensed-'in the interstices ofthe cylinder I4. y

Itis to lne-understood of*- course 4that various modifications may be made in the structure above described,- without in any way departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined inthe appended claims. l i

. ,1. An air cleaner comprising a `iluted'drum, a

cylinder surrounding said drum and forming with said ilutes conduits leading into theinterior of said drum, said cylinder comprising a helix of thin metal ribbon having itsv turnsA minutely spaced,` an outlet from the top of said drum.- and fa drainage opening in the bottom oi' said drum.

2. Anair cleaner comprising a .uted drum, a

cylinder surrounding said drum and forming with said ilutes conduitsleading into the interior of -said cylinder andzcasing.

said drum, said cylinder comprising avhelix of ythin metal ribbon having its turns minutely spaced, an outlet from the top off said drum, a drainage-opening in the bottom of said drum', a

casingsurrounding said drum and cylinder, and an inlet'c'ommunicating with the space-between 3. In an air-cleaner,` a tluteddrum having an `outlet at the vtop thereof, a cylinder surrounding said drum `and forming with saidilutes conduits having their lower ends open, saidcylinder comprising a helixoff thin metal ribbon having its turns minutely spaced, a passageway Ycommunieating with said drum and the lower ends o! said outlet at the top thereof, a'cylinder surrounding K said drum and forming with said ilutes conduits having their lower rends open, said cylinder comprising a helix of thin metal ribbon having its turns minutely spaced, a passageway communieating with said drum and the lower ends of said conduits, a drainage outlet for said passageway,- a casing within which said drum and cylinder are contained, andan inlet communicating with the spacebetween said casing and cylinder.

5. In an air cleaner, a fluted drum having an inlet in its bottom end, anat wire helix surrounding said drum and forming with said flute: conduits having their lower ends open, said helix having its 'turns minutely spaced, an apertured cap attached to the bottom end of said drum and forming with said bottom end a passageway into which said conduits discharge, andan outlet at l0 the upper end of said drum.

6. In an air cleaner, a fluted drum having an vinlet in its bottom end, a at wire helix surrounding said drum and forming with said flutes conduits having their lower ends open, said helix l5 `having its turns minutely spaced, an apertured vcap attached to the bottom end of said drum and forming with said bottom end apassageway into which saidconduits discharge, an outlet at the upper end 4of said drum, a casing surrounding said 20 Adrum and cylinder and an inlet communicating with the' space between said cylinder and casing. '7. In an air cleaner, a fluted drum havingy an inlet in its bottom-end, a Acylinder surrounding said drum and forming therewith conduits hav- 25 `ing their bottom ends open, said cylinder being provided with minute apertures, an apertured cap `attached to the bottom end of the drum and `forming therewith a passagewayL into which said conduits discharge and an outlet leading from the upper end of said drum. f 8. In an air cleaner, a tluteddrum having an inlet in its bottom end,'a cylinder surrounding said drum and forming therewith conduits having their bottom ends open, said cylinder being provied with minute apertures, an apertured cap attached to the .bottom endo! the drum and forming therewith a passageway into which said conduits discharge, an outlet leading from the upper end of said drum, a casing surrounding said 40 drum and cylinder, and an inlet communicating within said casing, an inlet communicating with the space between said casing and drum, `outlet and inlet passages in the top and bottom of said drum, a cylinder surrounding said drum and forming therewith conduits having their lower ends open, said cylinder being provided with minute apertures, an apertured cap attached to the 50 bottom end of the `drum and forming therewith a passageway providing communlcationbetween the ends of said conduits and the interior of said 10. In combination, a casing, a uted drum within said casing, an inlet communicating with thespace between said casing and' drum, outlet and inlet passages in the top and bottom of said drum, a cylinder surrounding said drum and forming therewith conduits having their lower ends open, said cylinder being provided with minute apertures, an apertured cap attached to the bottom end of the drum and forming therewith a passageway providing communication between the ends of said conduits and the interior of said drum, and a cup within the upper end of which said cap is received.

11. In combination, a casing, a uted drum within said casing, an inlet communicating with the spacebetween said casing and drum, a cyl- 70 inder surrounding said drum and forming therewith conduits having their lower ends open, said cylinder being provided with minute apertures, a cap fitting over the bottom end of the drum and into which said conduits discharge, a passageway between ma esp and the interior of the drum, an outlet leading from the top of said drum. a cup within the upper end oi' which said cap is received, an outlet from said capvdischarging into said cup, and a perforated annular member interpod between said casing and said cylinder.

12e An air cleaner comprising a iluteddnim having inlet and outlet passages in its bottom -and top walls respectively. a cylinder surroundits turns minutely spaced, a cap attached tothe bottoni o! said drum and li'orming'a chamber into which said conduits discharge and a drainage outlet for said chamber. RALPH LAYTE. 

